Closure for openings in buildings



Oct. 6, 1931.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 26, 1950 5 n E d s 2 g E j i i 5 "b" a i //8 3 i a l E i 5 22 l a 1 l V g H ---------b--- a" Oct. 6, 1931. w. CUNNINGHAM 1,326,203

CLOSURE FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS Filed March 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M/ZE" 28 v Wdlidm Clum/iykam,

Patented Oct. 6, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, OF MOUNT KISCO, NEW YORK CLOSURE FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS Application filed March 26, 1930. Serial No. 439,182.

My said invention relates to closure for openings in buildings and is suitable for embodiment in an outer door or window, a screen door, a storm door or window, a louvre,

a cellar sash, etc. It is an object of my invention to provide improved means whereby such closures are readily convertible. For example, a storm window or door maybe quickly changed into a screen door or a window screen without any tools or need for skilled labor.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby p nes of glass or the like can readily be washed by a person inside a house, without going outside the building, as one may take the glass out and wash it at leisure.

Another object is to provide improved means to hold a removable window pane or 2-" the like securely in place without possibility of rattling.

Another object is to provide drainage means for the closure.

Referring to the drawings, which are made 53 a part of this ap lication and in which similar reference 0 aracters indicate sim lar parts:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of my device,

Fig. 2, a section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Figs. 4, 5 and 6, elevations similar to Fig.

1 but showing devices other than panes of glass positioned to close the apertures,

Fig. 7, an end elevation of a part shown in Fig. 5, and,

Fig. 8, an end elevation of a part shown in Fi 6.

in the drawings reference character 10 indicates a part of a building or the like in which a window frame is mounted by means of hinges 11 secured to a stile 12. For purpose of illustration the invention has been illustrated as embodied in a window having a frame comprising stiles 12 and 13, a top rail 14, a center rail 15 and a bottom rail 16. The window also includes upper and lower sashes 17 and 18 forming no part of my invention and therefore not more specifically described. The frame members 13, 14, 15 and 16 are provided with rabbets as clearly shown at 19 in Fi 3 for guiding and holding in place a window pane or the like and the stile 12 is provided with upper and lower slots 20, the upper and lower limits of which are indicated by dash lines in Fig. 1, for receiving a window pane or the like and guiding it into place, these slots being in line with the rabbets 19. For clamping the panes in place to prevent rattling and to exclude wind and rain I have shown in Fig.2 eccentrics 21-Which are rotatably mounted so as to bear against the window panes or the like and force them against the opposed walls of the rabbets 19. Drainage passages 22 (Fig. 2) lead from suitable parts of lowermost rabbets 19 to carry off water.

in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have illustrated some of the possibilities of my invention, Fig. 4 showing screens 23 as having been substituted for the panes of the glass illustrated in Fig.

1. The screens have frames 24 as usual and may be made up in any suitable manner. For example they may have central vertical stiles to strengthen them and improve their a i5 pearanoe or they may be made up after the manner of a casement or a pair whereby each of them would be pivoted at the side remote from the center of the window so asto be swingable to open position.

Fig. 5 shows ventilators 25 as havin been substituted for the window panes. hese also may be made up in any suitable manner and preferably have side flanges 26 and 27 (Fig. 7 fitting fairly closely in the rabbets to prevent excessive rattling or they may be provided with such anti-rattling means as shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that other suitable means may be employed for this purpose.

Fig. 6 illustrates a window having sheet metal members 28 substituted for the window panes, as may be done when a house is closed for the season or when for other reasons it becomes desirable to guard against intr' on. 5 Preferably such sheet metal members have lateral flanges 29 fitting with reasonable closeness in the rabbets 19 to limit rattling.

As will be understood the metal members may be varied in form and contour in many ways 100 without de arting from the spirit of the invention. 11 some instances, as in the case of cellar sashes it may be desirable to provide means for retainin the window anes or other sheet-like mem ers in place an for this purpose I have indicated set screws 30 in ig. 6 which may be set up against the sheet-like members, it being understood that in a cellar sash the longer dimension of the opening is horizontal.

A similar result may be had by providin adjustable moldings on the frame in suc manner that they may be forced up against the sheet-like members by means of screws having eccentric heads, as is well understood by those skilled in the art, such moldings taking the place of the set screws 30 or the eccentrics 21 and both, and other means for this purpose will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

It will be obvious that my improvements can be applied to screen doors or storm doors as well as to window screens and storm windows or to ordinary exterior doors or windows as desired as well as to cellar sash, louvres or to any other closure for openings in buildings, boats and the like. Clearly also such device ma be made of metal instead of wood and may e adapted in other ways. In the example shown in the drawings hinges are provided such as will throw the window sash or door away from the wall of the building when fully opened thereby permitting better access to the sheet-like member to be withdrawn or positioned. Beads or bead felt may be applied in well known manner and in general it will be obvious that many changes may be made in the device shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention and therefore I do not limit myself except as indicated in the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A convertible storm window or door for wall opening reveals comprising top, bottom and intermediate rails connected by stiles, rabbets about the window openings formed by said rails, and spaced slots at intervals in the length of the rear stile corresponding in length and osition to the window openin 3 whereby a sheet-like closure element may readil placed in each of said openings, remove therefrom or interchanged with an other, and means on the rear stile adjacent each slot and cooperating with the side of the wall opening reveal to draw the slotted length of the stile into contact therewith to close said slots and prevent unauthorized removal of said removable closure elements.

In testimony whereof I aflix m si aturo.

WILLIAM CUNNl G 

